Knight Frank 18ft Skiff Nationals - Knight Frank skiff wins!

by John Little on 22 Jan 2015 The Knight Frank 18ft Skiff Nationals finished on Sunday with the Knight Frank skiff team of Riley Dean, Matt Coutts and John Little taking the win.

The Knight Frank (15pts) skiff team managed to take the win 5 points ahead of Yamaha (20pts). Maersk Line (35) had a great final day to finish in third spot ahead of ASCC (40pts) who they battled the whole way through the regatta.

The final day of racing was competed for in a 10-17Knot South Westerly wind. Except Aon Racing the whole fleet were in their big rigs in what turned out to be the most competitive day of the regatta. Every race had various leaders throughout as the fleet battled for every place.

The same racing format was used as the previous days with two two-lap windward-leeward followed by a harbour course. The start line and bottom mark was at North Head with the top mark being Orakei Buoy.

Race 10 was fiercely competed between C-tech, Maersk Line, Knight Frank and Yamaha. C-tech and Maersk Line managed to get a healthy lead during the first lap after good starts and solid tactics. Knight Frank however managed to catch-up to and then take the lead after some good boat handling and the help of a favourable left hand shift which allowed them to sail out from underneath the leading boats. At the top mark however Knight Frank slipped at a critical moment and overlaid the top mark, allowing Maersk Line to round on their inside and take the lead. On the run to the finish both Maersk Line and Knight Frank set while C-tech gybed set to head towards Devonport. Turned into a master stroke for C-tech as they picked up a nice pressure to take them to first place ahead of Maersk Line and Knight Frank.

The final windward leeward of the regatta went all Knight Franks way as they wrapped up the title with one race to spare. After a clear start Knight Frank managed get clear and pick up some favourable shifts to take them into a clear lead at the top mark. Down the run they extended as Yamaha started to bang some corners to close the gap and keep the regatta alive. Knight Frank however continued to extend all the way till the closing stages of the race where C-tech manage to pick up the elusive Devonport pressure again to rocket them into contention. Knight Frank however had done enough and claimed the win followed by C-tech, Maersk Line and Yamaha.

For the harbour course a triangle windward leeward course was used. The top mark remained Orakei, wing mark Bean Rock and bottom mark Rough Rock Black. This race turned out to be an absolute cracker as Yamaha, Maersk Line, C-tech, Knight Frank and Aon Racing went toe to toe the whole way around. Although everyone went a different way it was tight at the top mark with Aon Racing holding a slim lead after banging the right hand corner. It was a tight reach to Bean Rock with Aon Racing, Knight Frank and Yamaha all hoisting their gennakers right away, while Maersk Line and C-tech two sailed for most of the leg, but again nothing could separate the bunch.

The reach to the bottom mark was not so tight which allowed the fleet to ease sheet and send it. The boats were within touching distance for a lot of the leg which certainly made for some excitement. At the bottom however Aon Racing maintained their lead followed closely by C-tech, Yamaha, Knight Frank and Maersk Line. The following beat seen nearly everyone have a turn in the lead as the pressure started to get lighter and shifter. By the final downwind leg the wind was below 8knots as the fleet on port gybe sailed towards North Head. It was here however where the race changed with an isolated pressure taking Yamaha, Aon Racing and the now charging ASCC into a clear lead.

Unfortunately for Aon Racing however around this part of the race their helmsmen slipped and damaged his knee during a gybe, forcing them out of the race. C-tech and Knight Frank managed to finally get the pressure and close the gap and put some pressure back on, but it was too little too late. Yamaha managed to pull away and take the win ahead of Maersk Line in second with C-tech third with Knight Frank 4th. ASCC unfortunately capsized at the bottom mark which forced them back to 7th over the line being Line7 and Stoke Beer.

Yamaha, Maersk Line, Knight Frank, Aon Racing and C-Tech are now packed up and on their way to Sydney thanks to Maersk Line for the JJ Giltinans starting the 14th of February.

Thanks to Knight Frank for sponsoring this regatta and the club. Also thanks goes to our mates at North Sails NZ and Fineline Marine for the continued support. Thanks to the Hamish, Ritchie and Damian for running the races and big Nick Catley for doing an excellent job on the rescue boat.

To keep up to date with the best racing in Auckland follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aklskiffleague

1: Knight Frank: 1, 1, 2, 1, (4), 1, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, (4) – 15pts
2: Yamaha: 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, (7), 2, (4), 4, 1 – 20pts
3: Maersk Line: 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 5, (8), 4, (6), 2, 3, 2 – 35pts
4: ASCC: 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4, 4, (6), =4, 6, 5, (7) – 40pts
5: C-Tech: (DNC), (DNC), DNCx4, 6, 1, 3, 1, 2, 3 - 52pts
6: Aon Racing: (DNC), (DNC), DNC, 5, 2, 3, 3, 2, RET., 5, 6, DNF – 53pts
7: Line7: 6, 4, 5, 6, 6, (7), 5, 5, (7), 7, 7, 5 – 56pts
8: Stoke Beer: 5, 6, (DNF), 7, 7, 6, 7, (8), =4, 8, 8, 6 – 64pts